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No. 788,041. PATBNTED APR. 25, 1905. J. M. PULTZ.

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APPLICATION FILED JULY 28, 1904.

231 15' L L j awvewtoz wimwm Jo/e n MCLTML FM 532% No. 788,041. PatentedA ri125,1905.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN MANN FULTZ, OF QUINCY, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO AUG. H.\VEHHEYER, OF QUINCY, ILLINOIS.

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SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 788,041, dated April25, 1905.

Application filed July 28,1904. Serial No. 218,568.

T!) who/lb it "2/ (WM/07W from withdrawal from the plug 10. A match '5Be it known that I,.Iou. r FIANNFUL'IZ, acitimay be inserted in theopposite end of the holzen of the United States, residing at Quincy, lowshank 5, the head of said match projectin the county of Adams and Stateof Illinois, ing beyond the end of the shank, as shown in have inventedcertain new and useful Improve the drawings.

ments in Tops; and Ido declare the following The operation of my top isas follows: The 55 to be a full, clear, and exact description ofspinning cord or string may be wound about theinvention, such aswillenablc othersskilled the milled c'nd of the shaft 5, containing thein the art to which it appertains to make and split ring 8. The top isheld in one hand by to use the same. means of the shell 7 and the stringis drawn Hy invention relates to tops; and the objects outward to spinthe top within the shell. The 60 of the same are to produce a topprovided with top may then be placed upon a support, where dctonatingmeans and also provided with it will be permitted to revolve until thematchmeans for spinning the top upon a string or head It comes intocontact with same roughwire. These and other objects are attained byened surface or sufficient friction has been means of the constructionillustrated in the created to explode and ignite the match. It 5accompanying drawings, in which will be understood that many of thematches Figure 1 is a side View of a top in the posiin use to-day may beregarded as detonating tion which it occupies when spinning upon amatches-that is to say, when ignited the string or wire and shows indotted lines the matches explode. It is this class of matches positionwhich the top assumes after it has which the top is designed to explode.7 ceased revolving and is disconnected from the \Vhen it is desired tospin the top upon a wire to fall and explode a match-head. Fig. stringor wire, an explosive match-head is 2 is a central vertical sectionthrough the top. placed in one end of the tubular shaft 5 and Fig. 3 isa perspective view of the interior the top is spun in the usual manner.The

wheel and its shaft. Fig. 4 is a detail persplit ring8 is then placedupon a wire or cord 75 spective view showing the split ring secured 12,which may be suspended upon the upat one end of the hollow centralshaft. rights 13 It, as shown in Fig. I. The shank Referring to thedrawings for a more de- 9 of the split ring 8 revolving freely withintailed description of the invention, the nuthe plug 10 permits the topto assume an upmeral l designates the body of the top, comright positionupon the wire or cord and grad- 30 prising a wheel having an enlargedperiphery ually moves from the upright 13 toward the 2, a central hub 3,and a web 4., extending upright 1t. After the top has ceased spinfromthe hub to the enlarged periphery. Exning it will by gravity swing fromthe upper tending centrally through the hub is a tubular side of thewire or cord to the lower side thereshaft 5, the opposite ends of whichare roughof and owing to the construction of the split 5 ened or milledfor a purpose which will presring 8 the top will be disengaged from theently appear. One of the ends of said tubuwire 12 and drop to the flooror table 15, and lar shaft maybe split, as at 6. The outer thus explodethematch-hezulu. Owing to the shell '7 consists of two extending domesor caps fact that the ends of the shaft are roughened,

provided with perforations through which the the plug 10 may be insertedin either end of tubular shaft 5 passes, said shaft being joursaid shaftand the match may be inserted in naled in the said perforations tofreely rethe opposite end. volve therein. Detachably connected in oneFrom the foregoing it will be seen that my 45 end of the tubular shaftis a split ring 8, top is comparatively simple in construction,

having a shank 9. journaled to revolve in a I can be manufactured atslight cost, is a toy plug 10, said plug being adapted to lit withinwhich creates considerable amusement, and

one end of the tubular shaft 5. The shank 9 can be operated by a youngor inexperienced is provided with a head 11 to prevent the shank person.

Having thus described my invention, What 1 claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. A top having a central tubular shaft, a Wheel mounted thereon, ashell Within which the shaft is journaled at its opposite ends, a splitring mounted to revolve in one of, the ends of the shaft and means onthe opposite end of the shaft to hold a match.

2. A combined spinning and detonating toy comprising a hollow shaft, awheel mounted thereon, said shaft being split for holding a match at oneend and a rotatable split ring mounted in the opposite end of said shaftfor spinning the top upon a string or wire, substantially as described.

3. A detonating-top comprising a central Wheel, a hollow shaft passingthrough the Wheel, said shaft being split at one end to hold a match,and a split ring mounted to revolve in the opposite end of the shaft,said top designed to be spun upon a cord or Wire and permitted to dropfrom said cord or wire to explode a match, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing Witnesses.

JOHN MANN FULTZ. Witnesses:

W. H. KEATH, CHARLES WHEAT.

